This invention relates to rectilinear laser scanning and recording systems which provide for the rapid scanning and optical recording of alphanumeric and graphic imagery.
This invention relates to a recording system of the scanning laser type in which the object being recorded is illuminated by a moving coherent radiant energy beam. Prior art devices employ lasers and a beam moving means for incrementally illuminating an object, means for collecting reflected radiant energy from the object, and means for permanently recording a pictorial representation of the object in response to reflected radiation.
Such systems are designed to make a photographic recording of an object, such as a composite document containing alphanumeric text and graphic imagery, by means of a collimated radiant energy beam (such as that produced by a laser), which beam is caused to line scan the object, for example, in a rectilinear pattern. The return light may be focussed on a photomultiplier which yields a signal proportional to the reflectivity of each of the incremental areas sequentially illuminated by the laser beam. This electrical signal is then utilized to modulate the intensity of a light beam which is caused to scan a photosensitive film which may be in sheet or web form. By causing the scanning movement of the illuminating light beam and the scanning of the film by the second recording light source to be synchronous, the photographic record can accurately reproduce the object being photographed. This synchronization may be accomplished by utilizing a common optical element (e.g. a rotating multi-sided mirror) to effect the scanning of the object and the scanning of the film substantially simultaneously or with a negligible time lag.